looking forward...

I borrowed the picture above from Rebeccas Flickr site, some excellent pictures there. This picture has the same title as this post...

I'm intending to write down about 10 things that I would like from the next year, some will be big and hard to achieve others will be daft little things but gonna try to write at least 1 thing I can do to help me to achieve each one.

1. House - This is gonna be the biggest thing this year or at least the 1st part of it. I will have loads to do. From sad things like running network cabling to essentials like new doors, bathroom etc.. Also looking forward to gardening, years ago I used to enjoy gardening. I can't really write something to do to achive getting the house as I'm already doing everything.
2. Work - This is a difficuly one I need to progress somehow rather than going nowhere as it seams at the moment. We are supposed to be getting pay rises and having our jobs evaluated but god knows when that is gonna happen. So I need to be more pro-active in looking for a job, checking websites and newspapers. I was told today by a mate that there are a load of IT jobs coming up for some big scheme that is starting. I need the web address off him. I would still rather work for myself but I need to decide exactly what part of IT I would like to do. I will post more about this later.
3. Love life - The most complicated of all and can't plan anything for this. Just to be honest and true to those I love and always be there (damn I'm going soppy again).
4. Holiday - I must make sure I have a holiday this year not just hanging around home. The best way to achieve this is to put some money away each week. Otherwise it will all get swallowed up by the house. My recent money making stuff could come in handy for this.
5. Fitness - I have become a right lazy bastard the last few weeks and hardly moving off my arse. I must have a good metabolism or something as I haven't put much weight on. To achieve this I need a goal. I am writing on here so someone can hold me to it (Simon). I am going to do the Blaydon race this year and if I feel fit enough (probably not) I would like to do the Great North Run. I better start training now or will not be fit enough for even the Blaydon race!!
6. Read - This may seam minor compared to the others but I used to read loads but haven't read much this year until recently. So would like to get back into reading.
7. Drinking - Or rather cut it back so I drink less when I go out. Put a limit of 5 pints on myself which is a bit different from last Friday when I had about 15+. No wonder I can't remember going home...
8. Friends - By this I mean keep in better touch with friends. Hopefully with having my own house it will mean friends will come over a lot more. Well I'm gonna be inviting plenty over anyway. If they come is another matter.
9. Finances - I need to keep on top of finances, even more important now I will have loads of bills coming out. Linked to this is the Money Diet book Simon bought me for Xmas and also the money making stuff I've been doing but not explained yet. Don't really have to write anything for this as I alreayd keep my finances on the computer.
10. Learn - This may seam a funny thing to add. Its a big thing for me, I'm always learning new stuff especially computer things. so I never have to try to hard to achieve this one. But I want to make a conscious effort to learn Ajax **Techie Stuff***. To do this I need to set some time aside to learn everything but wont have much time the 1st part of the year.

This blog should help me achieve some of these by constantly writing what I'm doing and boring anyone who is sad enough to read it. They have permission to hassle me on any of them. I know that fitness one is gonna come back to haunt me. I will probably break most of these down into individual things I need to do to achieve them or I wont achive any!

I have some other things I want to do next year but will add them over the next few days and a few that wont appear on here because they are personal. My list I've posted before is still ongoing, but probably wont have chance to do many of them this year. Other than more snowboarding hopefully :-)

looking back

I decided to do a post looking back at the last year, so here goes. I'm going to do this from memory and not look back at my archive of posts.

The year started off quite good in my personal life, I met Kelly when I was out with my best mate at the end of the 2004 and we became very close. Although she was attached and had a son, she didn't love the bloke she was with but was her sons dad. So not easy to leave him. At one point she was going to, but I don't know if I got scared of was being sensible and told her to wait a few days to make sure she still felt the same, she didn't leave him. I met her son and he was very wary of me but he was a nice kid. Although he didn't seam to want to have anything to do with me which was hard, normally kids like me. Anyway with Kelly working shifts and living with someone, we hardly saw each other. So I did some serious thinking and realised although I loved her. I didn't love her as much as I'd loved someone else a few months earlier, so I ended it. Having said that we are still good friends now and keep in touch by text.

My personal life started off good but work wasn't so good, I think I was at my lowest point for sometime in February. I was bored, unchallenged and basically fed up. I told my unit manager how I felt. Nobody had any idea how bad I was feeling. I really didn't care about anything. Maybe this was also to do with not seeing Kelly very much at the time as well. I'm not sure!

I managed to pick myself up though, not sure much has really changed at work. I'm just not bothered by it anymore. I have made some more friends this year at work, there will be very few people in the County who don't at least know me by sight (out of 330).

One way I have changed a lot this year is I'm now a lot more open about everything. I was always the complete opposite, I'd keep everything bottled up until I exploded and with my temper that was never a good thing. I can't really rememeber losing my temper at all this year, the odd occassion where I have started to I've walked away. A couple of times I've gone home early when out drinking, still wouldn't back down from a fight but just avoid the situation in the 1st place. Must be growing old and wise (or soft).

I've also got back in touch with a few friends, Laura, Jeremy & Julie. All of which I used to work with. Also bumped into a few others recently like Alison.

Mentioned above that most people know me at work but I've also made more good friends this year. Also good friends again with some that I'd sort of drifted apart from. I must admit I do seam to talk a lot more on the phone these day. If I remember back just 4 years I HATED the phone and would never ring anyone if I could help it. How I've changed!!

Anyway this is supposed to be looking back on the year...

I haven't been away much on Holiday but did go to Scotland for a few days which did me some good. I went to Amulree where I used to stay when I was about 13. The best part was being shown around the house I used to stay in, it was up for sale.

I also walked part of the pennine way with my dad a couple of months ago. I've been fishing a few times with my dad and uncle as well. Caught quite a few fish as well, you wouldn't think I would like fishing as I don't have much patience but it gives me time to think (which I do lots of). I've done quite a few decent walks in North Yorkshire and locally.

My mind is starting to go blank now, probably should look back through my blog but wont.

I met a couple of people on the internet although not in person. I met strange lady (only kidding ) called Angelika who just decided to ring me on Skype one day. We have been friends ever since and she often seams to have as much bad luck with relationships as me. I also met her friend Wendy, who since I met her has left her husband is now due to give birth to twins in a few weeks with her new man :-) (never met either in person but hopefully will do one day)

How could I forget I also jumped out of a plane and went Snowboarding (not at the same time).

The last few months I gave myself a list of things to do & buy and achieved quite a few although I kepe adding to the list all the time so never goes down. So probably done a lot more the last part of the year than the 1st.

I know I have missed absolutely loads out but there is no point in writing everything as I/you could just read my blog and see what I did. If I look back I would say overall I have a good year I feel a lot better in myself than I did at the beginning and feel like I have achieved some things I've always wanted to do. Probably the best part is gaining some more friends.

Finally I am well on the way to getting my house. Its a shame it couldn't of been finished this year but it should be very soon in the new year :-) (1st few week sof January I hope)

Was gonna add pictures but look bckt through my other posts, there are pictures relating to most things already there. Now onto thinking about the next year...

Million Dollar Baby

Million Dollar Baby: Every now and again you come across a film that more than just stands out but makes you sit up and think. This is without a doubt the best film I have seen in a long time.

Not gonna ravet on about the film, just watch it. A masterpiece!!!

I gave it 10 out of 10 on IMDB, the 1st movie I've gave that to for more than 2 years.

Batman Begins

Batman Begins: Another film that was suprisingly good, I thought it would OK but it was better than that. It had a lot more story than any of the other Batman films and no daft characters like the Joker or Pengiun. Maybe some people would prefer it if they were in.

Maybe the best Batman film, then again Batman (1989) was good too. Shame Michael Keaton wasn't playing Batman, think he was the best one. Although Christian Bale was very good too.

Enough of my blabbering I gave it 8 out of 10 on IMDB. Even my parents liked it ;-)

Plan/resolutions

this is the 1st time ive stopped to think about what i want from the
next year. not gonna write the stuff i want to achieve now. just want
to start thinking about it. then will write the list on here in a
couple of days.

i didnt write a proper list at the beginning of this year but had some
things in my head and did a list so far through the year.

i didnt achieve many of the tasks but did buy just about everything i
wanted. which im pleased i did, now that im gonna have to be more
careful with my money because of buying a house.

anyway will have a think and post them on here!

:-(

Still awake and it's nearly 4am. Getting up at 7. Starting to think is there any point in even trying to go to sleep?

I am now trying to0 hard to get to sleep :-(

not tired

Laid in bed once again typing this on my mobile. although doing it
through Gmail mobile which is canny smart.

I think im gonna be shattered tomorrow i am just not tired probably
because i didnt get out of bed until 11 and ive done nothing all day.
God knows what time i will get to sleep tonight.

As an example of how bored ive been. i decided on xmas day night that
i would enter a load of competitions on the internet and see if i
actually won anything. Most of them were drawn in the next couple of
weeks, so i will see. For christ sake what the fuck is happening to me.

Ii must admit it makes a change doing nothing, normally i spend my
holidays doing stuff for everyone else but decided i wasnt doing
anything this time. thinking about it i still have done stuff for
people but not as much as normal. i would go nuts if i didnt help
people out or have some sort of challenge, dont like this relaxing
shit. to think people do this all the time and are happy. i need to
keep my brain active, feel like a vegetable at the moment!

Bugger this i will get up and do something. not gonna get to sleep laying here.

Another dull day

This has to of been the most boring Christmas I can remember, absolutely nothing has happened. The main reason is probably because I've only been out drinking once, this is the 1st time I can remember for years not going out on Boxing day. It's like a tradition to go out with my mates and have a few bets.

This year I stayed in mainly because I'm trying to save money for my house but also because it has usually been boring this year when I've gone to the local.

Today though I was intending to go for a walk but didn't get out of bed until nearly 11 and by the time I got in the shower and stuff it was hail stoning and didn't fancy going walking in that. So again I stayed in all day.

Can't believe I'm gonna write this but I'd almost rather be back at work (err, maybe not). I am back at work in the morning, so I suppose I should go to bed!

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory: I quite enjoyed watching this, can remember reading the book when I was a kid and watching the original movie with Gene Wilder. It was a lot darker than the other movie, I suppose that was to be expected with Tim Burton directing it.

Johnny Depp was good as Willy Wonka but he always is good. Anway I would recommend it and gave it 7 out of 10 on IMDB.

Detecting Explosives @ SFO

Saw the picture above and reminded me when I was in San Francisco Airport (SFO) in April 2001. I was going through the metal detectors and some idiot stopped the other side of the metal detector to mess about putting their coat and bag on. So I walked around the metal detector to get by him. I didn't think anything of it until afterwards.

There was no one there taking any notice so for some reason I decided to go around. You would think it would be blocked in so you couldn't go around. I didn't do it intentionally, just didn't think. No one stopped me, I just picked my bag up, which had been through the conveyor belt metal detector and walked on. 6 months later was 9/11. Just shows you how crap the security was I could of had anything strapped around me!!

If you look at the picture above you can see how you could still walk around the explosive detector if no one is taking any notice. Just hope they are more observant now?

Bit of a bore

Xmas has been fairly boring other than making some money as I mentioned in the previous post. Enjoyed my Xmas dinner but besides for that it was fairly crap.

There isn't much on TV and their isn't a lot happening on the internet. Pleased when its Boxing day at least there will be Football and Racing on. That reminds me better look at the Racing its the King George VI tomorrow. Not sure about Kicking King though maybe should lay some money or possibly not. I should probably stay well clear of the main race. Although I do usually win on it ;-)

Probably a better bet that Owen will score against Liverpool tomorrow!!

Money For Nothing!!!

I've managed to make £175 in 2 days for doing practically nothing, a few mouse clicks. I haven't really risked any of my money and its completely legal. Just exploiting loop holes. Gotta wait for the money to clear which may take a few days. There is loads more to be made but gonna make sure my 1st lot come through 1st.

I'm not gonna say how for a week or so until I have the money in my account :-)

Sahara

Sahara: I forgot to post that I'd watched this the other night. It's sort of a modern day Indiana Jones similar I guess to National Treasure but not as good. Except the treasure hunters are ex military, so there is some fighting thrown in. If you want a reasonable action film where you don't have to think too hard give it a watch, but its nothing special. Gave it a 6 out of 10.

Xmas

Its now Xmas day, well 10 minutes into it anyway. I have put my presents downstairs under the the tree. Its not the same as when you're a kid and you couldn't get to sleep for the excitement of what you would get. These days I'm not really bothered, just nice to have the christmas meal and then have some peace.

It will probably be my last Xmas at home with my parents!

Roll on Boxing day when there is plenty of sport on the TV :-)

Break up day

I went out yesterday with some of my mates, most of us met up in Crook and then got a taxi down to Bishop. I was drinking in a round with 4 others (always a bad idea). I can remember having at least 3 rounds, so I drank at least 15 pints of lager. Things are very hazy after that and can't remember leaving Bishop and going back to Crook but I must of done because I supposedly bought a chinese and walked home.

My parents said I seamed fine, just looked tired. I was back in the house by 9, I did go out early at 1. I supposedly ate my chinese and went straight to bed.

I would add that drink + phone = nightmare!!

Top played tracks

I've added a chart showing the songs I have played the most the previous week, this automatically generates on a Monday from my page on Last.fm that logs all the songs I play.

confusing

sometimes life can be so confusing and you have no idea what is going
on. you just have to go with it and see where it takes you...

Long day

Today seams to of been a very long day, probably made worse because I've had a headache most of the day. Liz gave me some stuff at work that youa re supposed to rub on your temples and it will ease a headache. It smelled like Deep Heat and ended up getting hot like it as well. All it did was made my temples burn and go bright red. But didn't get rid of the headache.

Only another day and a half before I am off for a couple of days for Christmas, will be pleased of the couple of days off. I seam to be like goldfish in a bowl at the moment and swimming around in circles going nowhere.

Although there has been some good things the last few days :-)

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy

The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy: Just finished watching this, I've never read the book or really seen the TV series so wasn't sure what to expect. It was very strange and very hard to describe. I did get a bit bored with it at times, maybe the book is better.

I only gave it 6 out of 10 on IMDB.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Harry Potter And The Prisoner of Azkaban: Watched this last night and again enjoyed it, still don't think it was quite as good as the Goblet of Fire.

Well worth a watch along with the other Harry Potter films. I gave it 7 out of 10.